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POPSOuyangwulong's New Travel Plans Hi y'all! I still love you guys, even if I haven't been clipping as much as I'd like to of late. While the Commies may be keeping me away from the Pakistani border, as originally planned, I've just come upon the lovely opportunity to travel to Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. That means I'll be putting my feet up in a houseboat on Lake Dal, fishing in high mountain valleys, and all this without having to give up my hobby of hanging out with Islamic terrorists. I guess sometimes you can have your cake and eat it too! If anyone here is in Srinigar next month, let me know and I'll buy you a cup of tea!
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POPSOuyangwulong's Travel Plans Okay, so on my next bit of vacation, Marszal and I are going from Hotan, in Xinjiang, accross the Taklamakan Desert to Kashgar on the Pakistani border. We'll cross the Karakorum Pass, over the Pamir and Karakorum mountain ranges north of Nanga Parabat and K2, then chill out along the North West frontier by Afghanistan. That at least, was the plan, untill I checked the local news, and HOLY COW! I mean, I can deal with terrorism and anti-government riots, but dude, wolves eating children? That's just messed up! By the way, does anyone have any good restaurant recommendations in Northern Pakistan?
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POPSThe Miracle of Jihad This is the opposite perspective that any American should consider very carefully, especially if they espouse military strategy. Although we see them as "Evil" and "Terrorists" of course, they don't see themselves that way. Since the Napoleon's expedition in Egypt, the Islamic world has found itself besieged by overwhelming European Empires. Although once the dominant force that defeated Europe, with the decline of the Ottoman and Persian Empires, they found themselves weak and helpless against the Europeans. During the 20th century, when much of the Islamic world was colonized, this anxiety became acute. Now, against an overwhelming enemy of superior strength, they are winning back ground. To us it is a disaster, but to them it is a miracle. It is to some in the Islamic world what the American Revolution was for us - a victory of the people. Ask yourself: If I were not blinded by my social context, would I still believe as I do?
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POPSIf You Are Afraid, The Terrorist Win Politicians secretly have a romance with terrorism. They feed off the fear to justify (or overshadow) their excesses. Terrorists secretly have a romance with politicians, because they provide the easy targets and fodder for their extremist agitprop. Politics and my love of desert adventure have occasionally collided, like in dealing with Islamic Terrorist in the Gobi Desert. But never before like this! They canceled the Dakar Rally! And NOW I'M ANGRY!
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POPSA Plan to End the Crisis With Iran Just so nobody can say I only criticize Bush, I offer here a plan to immediately end the crisis with Iran. Ahmadinejad is an aggressive, anti-Western president who is isolating Iran, much to the chagrin of the Iranians. The economy is weak, and it is getting harder for people to make a living, which is causing unrest. On the other hand, his predecessor Khatami was a progressive, who wanted relations with the west, and had a good record on the economy. I suggest that we use these factors in to our advantage in the following plan: (see comments bellow.)
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POPSConflict in Iran: Symbiosis between Bush and Ahmadinejad
I've stitched together three very interesting articles over the last week, which become much more interesting when you read them in sequence. Look carefully at what is happening. If there is anything that lays bare the role of the Bush Administration's jingoistic belligerence in the Middle East, it is the recent conflict in the Strait of Hormuz. With the international pressure off Ahmadinejad, he starts taking heat in Iran for the shortcomings of his leadership. Without fear, his belligerent and isolationist politics lose their appeal. In order to defend his world view, and preserve the source of his power, he needs America as an enemy... So some Iranian boats play around with one of our convoys, Bush comes out with some insane saber-rattling press conference, and, Ahmadinejad is back in business, courtesy of the Bush administration. If you desire war, you need an enemy. If you need an enemy, you desire war. Bush needs Ahmadinejad. Just like Ahmadinejad needs Bush.
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POPSStrategic Disconnect: Why we are losing in Iraq This opperation strikes me as a perfect example of what has gone wrong with our occupation of Iraq, and actually of most occupations. To be a conqueror is a difficult thing. Your strength must be maintained by overwhelming military force, which is always conspicuous. The locals fight against you with inflamed hatred. Your goal is to control, their goal is simply to disrupt, which is much easier. And on top of all that, Americans are doing this from a position of extreme naivety and ignorance. It is as if this whole war is only a gedankenexperiment to them. Obviously this raid was an interesting idea, but it was also obviously destined to fail. How disconnected are the commanders if they think this is going to win the war?
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POPSWrong on Taxes: Bush sells America to China Romney says McCain was wrong to vote against Bush's tax cuts. If he really believes this, then he is not a true conservative. What is the truth about Bush's tax cuts? Bush slashed the revenue of the US government to help rich people get richer. This means the government has less money to spend. But he is the greatest spendthrift in the history of American Presidents. So who is paying for all of Bush's spending? It isn't Romney, who is getting millions back in tax cuts. It's the Chinese, who are buying US Treasury bonds to gain power over the US. Look at the numbers. the Chinese have almost literally financed the Iraq war. A true conservative spends money when he has it, and when he doesn't, he works for more. Bush's extravagance has sold our economic independence to a rival nation. Does this sound like treason to you? Because it sure does to me!
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POPSSubcontracting Torture to the Terrorists You know, something occurs to me when looking at these three lovely destinations: it really does look like we are hiring the terrorists to interrogate potential terrorists. This is like Milo Minderbinder bombing his own base for the Germans!
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POPSThe Assasination of Benazir Bhutto When in power, corruption hemmed in around her, and her visions were stalemated by the reality of bureaucratic government. She was at her best when she was disenfranchised, chiding those in control. In power she was a bureaucrat, but in opposition she was an icon. Now she has died as icons die, as opposition leaders die, in an explosive annihilation of waves of humanity. ...at the back gate of a park after a speech, on the eve of her comeback.
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POPSTorture & Enemies of the State Of course we only might torture terrorists who are enemies of the state. After all, we're doing this to protect America, right? But the VERY important question is: who is an enemy of the state? How do you know you aren't one? In China, in the name of protecting the state, they are torturing and imprisoning environmental activists like Wu Lihong, and journalists and anyone else who doesn't jump on board the "Harmonious Society," "One World One Dream." Especially people who embarrass the government. And how do you know that won't happen to us? Let me illustrate the slippery slope in three steps: 1. We torture terrorists 2. Because of extreme groups like Earth First, "Eco-terrorism" becomes a major concern for Bush in his third term. ;) 3. Moderate environmental groups are conflated with the radical ones, meaning everyone who ever signed a Green Peace petition or wears a hemp "head covering" is a suspect terrorist. If you condone Guantanamo, remember this: you might be next.
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POPSThe Biggest Threat to the West Lies Within Itself, Not with Islam Simon Jenkins on threats to peace and democracy. This defeatism led the American Congress to allow its president to authorise torture and detention without trial in what Senator Robert Byrd called “the slow unravelling of the people’s liberties”. It enabled a British Home Office to curb free speech and habeas corpus. It arms police, fortifies buildings and impedes the free movement of citizens. It makes every Christian suspicious of every Muslim.
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POPSTwo Kinds of Terrorism: Mark Twain Mark Twain commenting on the French Revolution. One kind of terror grabs our attention and makes the news. The other doesn't make the headlines, the slow and constant terror that goes on around us.
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POPSGuru Gobind Singh vs. the TSA Of course, I'm horrified and offended by the idea that we target people who cover their heads for additional security. (Especially considering that the successful terrorists of recent history did not cover their heads...) But I'm a little amused by the Sikhs once again getting dragged into this (mostly because our steak and potatoes Intelligence agencies can't tell the difference between anyone wearing something other than a baseball cap...) Then again, Kesh (uncut hair, wrapped in a turban) is just the most important of the "five K's" (external symbols of Sikh faith). What about the Kirpan? (A ceremonial dagger worn at all times, because you never know when you might have to kill an enemy of Sikhism, like Indira Ghandi, for instance...) I don't suppose they can get those through airport security either? Honestly, I'm tempted to avoid flying directly into America because of its idiotic security, and my religion doesn't even mandate carrying a weapon!
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POPSZogby Survey Uncovers American Bias, Hypocrisy Detailed results worth viewing at source. Pollster John Zogby said, “Over my years of polling, I’ve learned that Americans tend to offer socially acceptable responses when questioned on their own views about race and prejudice. That’s why in this poll we predominantly asked people about “most Americans’” views on race and prejudice. We believe this provides a far more accurate window into how people really think about these issues. Americans are more forthcoming when discussing the problem in the context of their neighbors’ lives than in the context of their own lives.”
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POPSHow we think of Terrorism, and how it helps the Terrorists Win By promoting this sort of "us versus them" "it couldn't happen to me" kind of thinking, we dehumanize terrorists. We also create a serious strategic problem, namely that if they are not the product of circumstance, then there is no way to actually win, no way to find peace aside from simply killing ALL of them. This is not only very dangerous morally, but it is also why we our policy on terrorism continues to bring only failures and escalation.
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POPSTears for the future... You know I hate to admit it, but it's true. Obama may be a "rock star" (although he's no Jim Morrison) and he may be a great guy (although he's no Bobby Kennedy) I have to agree: on the hard issues, he hasn't shown us that he has what it takes. This was exactly the failure of Royale (Sego) in France. The sad thing is that, although it took me years of college and field research to do it the hard way, I estimate that with the resources of a national politician, and about $25,000,000 it would only take about three or four months of intensive study to come up to speed on the relevant facts of Islamic "terrorism" and the situation in Iraq, both military and civilian. Why is it that I some how feel that quite a few of the people on Clipmarks are more qualified to lead the country than any of the people currently running? (Both left and right!) Come to think of it, why aren't any of you guys running? How long will it be before we get an erudite, informed and passionate leader?
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POPSTragic Escalation This is another tragedy burst open as Iraqi society loses its coherence. But do not think that these Islamic militants are barbaric or insane. That would be just as wrong as saying the same of the American soldiers. They are simply one more crowd caught up in a moral earthquake. They are enveloped in a conflict so savage and so pervasive that it obscures the horizons. Like a giant storm, from with in there is no memory of normal life, and no one can see out to the sunny world of peace and happiness. One atrocity builds upon another untill there is no sanity left in the world at all. Having unleashed this conflict, I can't help but feel we all bear part of the responsibility. Not just the conservatives who didn't think through the consequences of their actions. Not just the liberals who only made empty symbolic gestures of resistance. Even myself, who was too proud to compromise and participate when I might have made a difference. And now I am heartbroken.
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POPSWhich is more important: Guns or Habeous Corpus? This is completely absurd. Apparently the only right that shouldn't be arbitrarily denied to someone "based on mere 'suspicions' of a terrorist threat." is the right to arm yourself with weapons who's sole purpose is the taking of human life. I am ashamed to live in a society that holds the right to arm yourself with military weapons sacrosanct, far above the rights of Habeous Corpus and Due Process, which have essentially been discarded altogether.. This is a brutal and uncivilized set of priorities.
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POPSName Terrorism As a conniseur of radical Islamic groups, its too bad to see the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (one of the coolest names for a terrorist group) change it's name to the much more boring Al Qaeda knock-off. But what does this mean? Do they actually share the goals of Al Qaeda, and upon which Al Qaeda was founded? Maybe, but then again maybe not. I think what it shows is that the Al Qaeda network, and the name have gained significant credibility around the world thanks to the foreign policy failures of the Bush Administration.
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POPSUnderstatement from Cuba? I've always said that the Cuban government is a lot more reasonable that we give them credit for, but this surprised even me. To say that the US has gone so far as to encourage violence against Cuba is the understatement of the week. No matter where you stand politically, it's a matter of historical fact that the US has planned, financed, equipped and executed acts of violence against Cuba, and not just one or two. Partly because they keep failing, I think that the US has probably planned more assassinations and acts of terrorism against Cuba than any other country during the Cold War. To accuse the US government of tolerating violence towards Cuba is like saying that Michael Corrleone tolerated organized crime. Honestly, I'm impressed that for once a communist propaganda organ is understating rather than overstating their causes. This is a very good direction to be going. If only Hugo Chavez could learn a little from Cuba's diplomatic tact and decorum.
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POPSHostages, Negotiation, and Misunderstanding Cultural Norms I am sure that "terrorist" is a term few people apply to themselves. This gets at a core component that is missing in our military and diplomatic strategy: know your "enemy." The government says it doesn't negotiate with terrorists, but they overlook the fact that traditionally, in Arab and Islamic societies, exchanging hostages was (and still is) a common part mediating conflicts. In Islam, many crimes, especially murder, are punished by secular authorities through fines or blood money. Exchanging money and hostages has been business as usual in the Middle East, and it isn't thought of as a terrorist tactic. In cases where Islamic communities have taken hostages, killing them has been a new development, in response to Americas puzzling unwillingness to negotiate like civilized people. We should also consider that those we take prisoner, especially the non-combatants, and hold in Guantanamo or Abu Grhaib can be viewed as hostages we have taken. Not negotiating is a bad strategy.
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